News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-11-17
BRAVE NEW ENGLAND GIRLS.
How They Built a Sod Hut on the
Frontier and Became Wealthy.

A gentleman who had just returned
from a land-inspecting tour in the
Northwest, in speaking of his expert
ence few evenings ago, related story,
which shall be given in his own words.
Said he: "We-there was a party of
four-had reached the limit of the stage
line at little frontier town named
Broken Bow, but our destination was
the valley of the Middle Loub River, a
hundred and fifty miles further into the
unsettled prairie, where the only thing
to attract the eye from the monOtony of
the endless succession of hills and val
leys was an occasional flock of prairie
chickens or deer, which, started from
his couch in the grass, after moment
of wild curiosity, would bound grace
fully away over the crest of the nearest
rising ground The day we left Broken
Bow, after several hours of travel, we
passed neat white school house, where
some half dozen sturdy children were
gazing out of the open door unrebuked,
for passing vehicle was a subject of
much comment and conjecture in that
sparse settlement, and could not go un
needed. Behind the children, and
scarcely less interested than they, stood
1 ii
ing girl of about % years, Judged, and
there was something in her easy manner
and refined face that was in striking
contrast ty the rude surroundings and
unbroken prairie. The presence of the
pupils could be accounted for by recall
ing two or three sod huts within few
miles, but we couldn't be satisfied with
consign,lg this fair girl to such an
origin.
cat last we appealed to our driver,
who had not needed our conversation,
for some solution to the mystery, think
! ing that, as resident of Broken Bow,
| he might be acquainted with the circum-
stances, and we were not mistaken.
| cit was learned from him that several
years ago two plucky girls came to the
| Bow as Broken Bow is usually called,
which was at that time composed of but
two or three houses, and was the extreme
limit of habitation. They came from
far Vermont, but with undaunted reso-
luton they expended their small supply
of cash in exploring the wilderness and
in securing the necessary homestead
papers and in erecting a sod hut. Then
they began housekeeping, and the rigors
of the long bitter winter came on. How
they struggled and the privations they
endured will never be known, and
through all those brave girls kept a
cheerful hopefulness that was positively
heroic.
The following summer a few other
settlers ventured to take claims in the
region, and, with true American in
stinct, their first care after building
shelter for their families was the cree
ton of q tiny schoolhOuse, with sod
walls four feet thick The natural drift
of circumstances led to one of the plo-
neer girls being chosen as the first
teacher, and thus their almost exhaust
ed purse was replenished. By means
of hard labor they had, during this first
summer, raised enough food stuffs to
last, with close economy, until the fol
lowing spring, and then, with the money
earned in teaching, small team of
brOnchos and some farming implements
were purchased, and prosperity seemed
to be a thing of the near future and to
no longer be creation of their brave
hopes. Years hurried on, and the little
schoolhouse of sod gave place to more
imposing structure of wood, but the
girl from Vermont, with her stern New
England training, still led the children
through the winding labyrinths of frac-
tions and across the chaotic wilderness
of photography.
''The farm began to have avalue, and
an occasional speculatOr would survey
the 800 broad acres, for each girl took
claim, and propose to pay sum for 1T
that would make the eyes of the owners
sparkle, but all inducements were in
vain, and this summer when we passed
the schOolhouse and heard the history
of the courageous girls from the lips of
the most prosaic guide, that farm would
have sold for enough cash to have taken
the sisters back to the old Green Noun
tain State and have bought them besides
a neat little home among their child
hood friends.
''But they have no inclination to re-
turn to the rocks and barren fields of
New England except for an occasional
visit, and propose to broaden and i'm
prove their possessions until wealth
brings them comfort and leisure, and
the country about them is filled with
an intelligent and industrious popula-
ton.